What's next for Portsmouth centre-back as he bids to win a first-team starting spot

Regular minutes are the most important thing for Jack Whatmough as he aims to fight his way back into Pompey’s first-team plans.
Jack Whatmough in Pompey training. Picture: Habibur RahmanJack Whatmough in Pompey training. Picture: Habibur Rahman
Jack Whatmough in Pompey training. Picture: Habibur Rahman

That is the verdict of Mark Kelly, after the centre-back featured for a Blues XI side in Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw at AFC Totton.

Whatmough’s not had a sustained run of games for 18 months after suffering a third serious knee injury of his career against Doncaster in February 2019.

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The Gosport ace made his return to action in January but played just one more game before the curtailment of the 2019-20 season amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

Whatmough then didn’t report back for training ahead of Pompey’s play-off semi-final defeat to Oxford.

The academy graduate is currently third-choice centre-half at Fratton Park, with Sean Raggett and Paul Downing set to start the opening game of the campaign at Stevenage tomorrow.

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Kelly believes it’s crucial Whatmough plays consistently and gains more confidence in his body before pushing for a place in Kenny Jackett’s side.

Pompey’s player development manager said: ‘Jack is on his way back. He's there and now it's all about minutes, which is what pre-season is all about.

‘He's got to get back to the point where he's totally happy with himself and totally happy with his body, while the confidence with every around him is also there.

‘The more minutes and time on the pitch he gets, the more confidence he's going to be in himself and the more confident everyone else is going to be.

‘The kid can play. Let's be honest, he's a player.

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‘We are all hoping he gets through this stage and can then push on this season.’

Whatmough and Ben Close were the only senior professionals who were present at Totton.

The rest of the team was made up of youngsters including the likes of Haji Mnoga, Harvey Rew and Alfie Stanley – who struck two first-half penalties. American keeper Duncan Turnbull, 22, was also present.

Both Whatmough and Close are themselves academy graduates and Kelly hailed the attitude and leadership qualities they displayed alongside the upcoming crop of Fratton kids.

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He added: ‘There are never any questions they aren't going to play when asked.

‘It's been their progression, where they have come through and the mannerism of how they went about their job on Tuesday was trrue professionalism.

‘They showed they want to help the kids. Whaty was chatting away to two first-year scholars in defence, Closey was the same and that's the way it should be.

‘It's the whole system looking after itself because they know what it's like as a young scholar coming in and their experience is great.

‘Now they've got to push themselves back into the first team because that's where they want to be, but they were excellent.’